The breakthrough web technology of FileMaker WebDirect is present in FileMaker Server 13, running custom business solutions in web browsers directly on laptops or desktops. It is really simple to operate with no requirement of web development skills. FileMaker WebDirect does not require using of coding tools like CSS, HTML5, JavaScript or PHP for the creation of robust web solutions. You simply need to have a basic idea about FileMaker to create solutions and make them accessible in web browsers.
For those who do not want installation or maintenance of software locally, this acts as an ideal alternative. It works really well for those companies whose different teams are located in different offices, as information sharing becomes easy. To use this you have to use FileMaker Pro for the creation of solutions that are tailored for web or those which use pre-built web layout with built-in starter solutions. Then your web solutions must be enabled there and the databases hosted on Server 13. Then the solutions can be simply accessed from the computer through web browser.
The look as well as feel of this application is like desktop applications, giving you some familiar functionalities like:
Live updates- If there are any changes in the solution or data, then you will be able to instantly access those changes without the need for refreshing the browser.
Desktop–styleinteraction– Styles, menus, charts, themes, etc can be used. Files can be dragged and dropped into container fields.
Automated processes- Scripts, conditional formatting as well as calculations can be enabled for validation of data as well as streamlining of workflow.
Some features, benefits as well as solutions of this technology are:
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The number of layout objects should be fewer; in fact the fewer the better. In this case the tabbed interfaces must be divided and put in small field sets on separate layouts.
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A solution can be easily as well as quickly deployed. Anyone can do that without the use of technologies like web authoring tools and such. All you need is a web browser that is compatible.
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Container data along with records can be exported or imported.
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Data can be accessed from almost any device- whether it is while travelling or from home or office.
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Custom web application can be deployed through locking as well as hiding of the status toolbar and menu bar.
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Sorting is one thing that makes WebDirect superior to desktop. The sorting cannot be done locally; so the sorting has to be done on server. This makes the entire process faster.
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If you want the best performance from a solution, themes should not be switched when navigating from one Layout to another. Theme info gets cached by WebDirect through the browser; so when you change themes extra massive data pushes are caused when they are not needed.
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When you to control the CSS amount passing over the network, remember that shared styles along with custom theme make huge differences. A classic existing layout requiring 850K bandwidth for display can be reduced to 25% when it is converted to modern FMP style without any customizations.
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The Format Painter should not be used until it has been fixed for preservation of custom styles. Its very own CSS is used for the creation of custom objects and when it is set for use as shared style, just the opposite happens.
Some other assorted features that are supported by FileMaker WebDirect are data entry validation, script triggers, conditional formatting, quick find, editing and adding data in fields, export and import of records, implicit record commits, etc. In short, it has a number of benefits and provides a great FileMaker database development experience but without needing FileMaker client application. It simply uses JavaScript, HTML5 and CSS to achieve its smooth functioning.
We provide custom filemaker development services. If you would like to hire certified filemaker developers for your development needs, please contact us at Mindfire Solutions.
DATABASE & CLIENT SERVER DEVELOPMENT 